Ayr United look to maintain home record

May 1 2009 by Mike Wilson

BRIAN REID has called on Ayr to keep intact Britain's best home record and take the title sweat to the final day.

United need to beat Alloa at Somerset on Saturday and hope that fellow relegation battlers Queen's Park take something from leaders Raith at Hampden.

With two games to go, Raith lead Ayr by two points while both teams have identical goal differences. But while Raith close at home to Arbroath, United face a long trip to Peterhead which has never been a happy hunting ground.

Only Ayr and Liverpool haven't lost on home soil in the league this season and that's a record which boss Reid is determined to preserve.

He said: "Alloa will be another difficult game but we have to make sure we win it. That would be a full season undefeated at home, so long may it continue.

"We're looking for someone else to do us a favour but it counts for nothing if we don't win our game. However, by all accounts, Queen’s Park have a decent record against Raith so hopefully they can deliver on Saturday."

Alloa lead second bottom Queens by four points so both teams are chasing points to beat the drop. It means that Ayr and Raith are both facing teams with all to play for so neither will get an easy ride.

For the first time in months, Reid hopes to have a full squad from which to choose. Martyn Campbell is the only doubt with a calf strain but Ryan Borris (shoulder) if fit again while Neil McGowan, who came off with back strain after only eight minutes of the 2-0 win over East Fife, is expected to be OK.

Reid says: "You need all your players at this stage of the season and hopefully that's what we'll have for Saturday."

Only a Raith slip can give Ayr the title. If not, they are set for home and away play-offs against almost certainly Brechin with the winners likely to meet Airdrie United or Peterhead in the two leg final.

Reid is convinced his men will be up for the play-off challenge if it comes. He said: "As long as we keep winning every game between now and the end of the season that will keep us in good stead for whatever happens.

"Some players are out of contract so it's in their best interests to keep playing well to stay here or try and get interest from elsewhere. As a professional player, you want to do your best in every game. We have a good bunch of pros so I don't see that attitude changing."

Bizzarely, Ayr, who have won nine of their last 12 games, could finish the season with 76 points and still not win the title.

Reid said: “In any other season, we would be well ahead but that’s not the case this time. Last season, Ross County won the league with 73 points and were six or seven ahead of Airdrie but Raith have kept winning to match us all the way.”

Last week, Ayr went with a three man strike force with Mark Roberts playing just behind David Gormley and Bryan Prunty.

Reid said: “It was a wee bit of a gamble but I thought we played some decent stuff. Playing three strikers can get in the way of each other but Mark is a clever player and he played in the hole just behind the other two.

“We were playing with only one recognised centre-half but Dean Keenan covered well.”

lAyr fans are mourning the death of life long supporter Jimmy Ferguson.

Honest Man Jimmy, who was 73, was first taken to Somerset Park in 1939. He and his brother Hugh followed the team faithfully all over the country for many years in their three wheeler car.

lThe Steamboat are running a bus to the game at Peterhead a week on Saturday, leaving at 7am and returning at 8pm. Seats, price £15, from John Grigor (tel: 07903 561025).